WOW WOW WOW!

SO, the last time I updated my blog was on Thursday, extubation day, and we’d had a heck of a day with leaky Gtubes, dropping O2 sats and heart rates, and crash carts being run to our room.

Today… we have a much different story to tell!

It has been officially 140 days since Annabelle entered this world. We spent the first 3 days in the NICU, and the next 137 days in the PICU. We’ve had 4 “codes,” I’ve lost count of how many reintubations, 2 open heart surgeries, one stomach surgery, and one very scary couple of days where the only thing keeping her alive was ECMO, the heart-lung bypass machine.

And today, we’ve made a GIANT leap up one floor to the sixth floor.

We are officially… for the first time… OUT of the Intensive Care Unit!

EEEEEEE!!!!!

This is a HUGE big day for us. We packed up our room, and took the fun elevator trip upstairs.

I gotta be honest though. I am out of my mind nervous. Granted, I’m EXCITED too because this is a BIG BIG step in the right direction.

But now we face a whole new set of challenges. More and more of Annabelle’s care is now going to fall on our shoulders. While we willingly accept this new challenge, it is a big overwhelming to think of all that needs to be done. Scott and I both have to be trained to give her meds. We have to take a CPR class (as does anyone else in my family who will ever be taking care of her…) We have to learn how to take care of her Gtube and her incision(s.)

It’s also the nervousness that in the ICU, someone was constantly watching my baby. While they still watch her here, it’s not nearly so much. They’ll check on her every hour. If her monitors go off, they’ll watch them remotely. Now, while I’m here, that isn’t a big deal. But I work during the day… and have to go home at least 2 times a week. The thought of leaving my baby here in a room all by herself for hours on end absolutely breaks my heart.

Not to mention the fact that my hubby is at home with my other kiddos and he really needs to be here more often, as he will be taking care of her during the days once she comes home.

All this complaining and worrying aside… GOD will work it all out. I know He will. My prayer has been for a long time that we can be home by Christmas. I’ve told God I’m okay if he says no… and I still feel that way. But it’s looking more and more like it’s at least within the realm of possibility. He has brought us thus far… all 140 days of this craziness, and I’m trusting that He will bring us the rest of the way too!